Nanotechnology for water purification

Water in Brazil.

About 1 of every 6 people around the world has no adequate access to water, and more than twice of that number lack basic sanitation, for which water is essential. Reading articles from few years back, there’s been different inventions to purify drinking water using nanotechnology. One of the ideas was the LifeSaver waterbottle, which uses nanotubes to filter out 99% of the bacteria and viruses to create safe and clean drinking water. 

Link to video explaining the water bottle:
https://vimeo.com/31513618




Lifesaver water bottle, clean water comes out from the bottles

The LifeSaver bottles are pressurized sealed united with a hand pump. Using the pump will force water through the pores of the filter and out through the nozzle to produce clean water. I thought about applying the same sort of concept, but in a bigger scale.

What if there are boats that are equipped with nanotube technology and while driving around the water, it is also cleaning water? 

Boats for cleaning large bodies of water?

There are oil spills and garbage and all kinds of bacteria in the water bodies around the world, what if we make use of the boats that drive around to filter and help clean the water? Using the technology of nanotubes, filtering out bacteria and harmful viruses, and hopefully good enough to filter out oil spills. The pressurized motor could possibly be built into the boat along with the motor that makes boats move? This would ideally work in countries where they have less access of clean water as well, such as cleaning up the lakes in Brazil. It would be a great to make use of the boats already roaming around the water, than having to install a new massive cleaning system to clean their lakes. 

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Citations: 

"Cleaning Our Water with Nanotechnology." Cleaning Our Water with Nanotechnology. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2016.

Gehrke, Ilka, Andreas Geiser, and Annette Somborn-Schulz. "Innovations in Nanotechnology for Water Treatment." Nanotechnology, Science and Applications. Dove Medical Press, 6 Jan. 2015. Web. 14 Mar. 2016.

Berger, Michael. "Low-cost Nanotechnology Water Filter." Low-cost Nanotechnology Water Filter. N.p., 6 May 2014. Web. 14 Mar. 2016.

Gravotta, Luciana. "Cheap Nanotech Filter Clears Hazardous Microbes and Chemicals from Drinking Water." Scientific American. N.p., 7 May 2013. Web. 14 Mar. 2016.

"Nanotechnology for Water Purification." EurekAlert! N.p., 28 July 2010. Web. 14 Mar. 2016.

Nanotechnology in Cosmetics

This week reading about nanotechnology used in cosmetics, there are quite a few makeup products that are proven more effective with the help of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology solves two main problems associated with cosmetics, first is delivery. In order to get the best effects, nutrients and vitamins should be delivered to where it is needed the most. Conventional cosmetics lacks this property. Next is prolong effects, nanotechnology helps make the products lasts longer. Consumers are willing to pay higher price for something that lasts. 

The most common product in cosmetics that uses nanotechnology is sunscreens. The particles used in sunscreens are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. The use of these nanoparticles makes the sunscreen transparent and less greasy.

 

There are other cosmetics such as skin moisturizers, anti-wrinkle products, skin cleansers, and hair products that benefits from nanotechnology. 

My idea for this week is using these nanoparticles to target brown spots. Brown spots or Age spots are caused primarily by years of exposure to UV light from the sun. 

Nowadays there are laser technology to remove these age spots. But looking at the potential that nanotechnology has, I believe there is a way to incorporate nanoparticles that treat brown spots into every day night cream. So instead of having to get laser or other kinds of surgery, using the night cream every day will help lighten and make age spots disappear. I thought about this idea abacus age spots aren’t just the tiny layer on top of the skin, it penetrates deeply into the skin, and what the human eye can see from skin surface could just be quarter size of what is underneath the skin. Reading about the use of nanotechnology in cosmetics, it seems promising that by targeting brown spots and bringing the “medication” needed to lighten it directly to the problem area, the results will be less painful than laser surgery. 

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Citation:

WIJESENA, RUCHIRA. "Top FIVE Nanotechnology Cosmetic Products in the World." Ninithicom. N.p., 16 Aug. 2015. Web. 05 Mar. 2016.

Ross-Fichtner, Robert, and Claire Robichaud. "Cosmetics & Toiletries." Nanotechnology: A Big Deal in a Small Package. N.p., 04 Mar. 2016. Web. 05 Mar. 2016.

Prabhjeet001. "Nanotechnology Product - Best Nanotechnology-Powered Products List | Reviews and Comparison Guide." Nanotechnology Product. N.p., 18 Apr. 2015. Web. 05 Mar. 2016.

"Age Spots (liver Spots)." Causes. N.p., 10 Apr. 2014. Web. 05 Mar. 2016.

Schulman, Marcelo. "Next Generation Nanotechnology and Active Ingredients." Incosmetics News. N.p., 09 June 2015. Web. 05 Mar. 2016.